title: Impact of sub-chronic aluminium-maltolate exposure on catabolism of amyloid precursor protein in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of sub-chronic Aluminium-maltolate [Al(mal)3] exposure on the catabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into five groups: the control group, the maltolate group (7.56 mg/kg BW), and the Al(mal)3 groups (0.27, 0.54, and 1.08 mg/kg BW, respectively). Control rats were administered with 0.9% normal saline through intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. Maltolate and Al(mal)3 were administered to the rats also through i.p. injections. Administration was conducted daily for two months. Rat neural behavior was examined using open field tests (OFT). And the protein expressions and their mRNAs transcription related with APP catabolism were studied using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expressions of APP, β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and presenilin-1 (PS1) proteins and their mRNAs transcription increased gradually with the increase of Al(mal)3 doses (P<0.05). The enzyme activity of BACE1 in the 0.54 and 1.08 mg/kg Al(mal)3 groups increased significantly (P<0.05). The expression of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) 1-40 gradually decreased while the protein expression of Aβ1-42 increased gradually with the increase of Al(mal)3 doses (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Result from our study suggested that one of the possible mechanisms that Al(mal)3 can cause neurotoxicity is that Al(mal)3 can increase the generation of Aβ1-42 by facilitating the expressions of APP, β-, and γ-secretase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Rui Feng
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Wei Qing
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Niu
mesh_terms: D058227:Amyloidogenic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011753:Pyrones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D058227:Amyloidogenic Proteins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011753:Pyrones; C067527:aluminum maltolate
keywords: Aluminium-maltolate; Amyloid precursor protein; Rat; β-amyloid protein